Ruby Tags
by Zephyros-Phoenix
Summary: ONESHOT - No pairing. Linus and Rubanoid think about their late partners, Neo and Sid, as peace returns to Neathia.


**So here's another oneshot for Gundalian Invaders to go with my oneshots for Fabia and Nurzak where they reflect on the people they lost in the war. I decided to combine Rubanoid and Linus' into one because they are now with each other and didn't feel the need to write separate ones for them. This is set after the events of Gundalian Invaders**

**I do not own Bakugan, only my OCs. This work is of pure fiction and is not associated with Bakugan Battle Brawlers.**

**The title is a reference to Rubanoid and Linus. "Ruby" obviously refers to Rubanoid and "tags" refers to the ID tags that Castle Knights carry, which Linus showed everyone in episode...13? when he first showed up.**

_Fully italicized texts are flashbacks_

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><p><strong>Rubanoid's POV<strong>

Things certainly had changed over the last few weeks. At the beginning of this war, I was a Gundalian soldier and now I was a Neathian Castle Knight! If someone told me that this is how I was going to end up, I wouldn't have believed them. But, honestly, I wasn't complaining. Neathia was a beautiful planet…and I was happy to be a part of it. I'm actually very surprised that they had accepted me so willingly. Either way, I was happy with my new life, even if I wasn't thrilled about what it took to get here.

Sid…My partner and my best friend.

I still couldn't believe he was gone…that he went so easily. I knew I had to accept it and move on, but losing a partner was something very difficult to cope with.

Every time I thought about him, I went back to those happy memories when we first met. He was only a child when I met him, but he was just as hard headed back then as he was now. And then the war broke out. I for one couldn't care less about the war. It had caused far too much damage to many others and me. It had caused nothing but pain and suffering. I had noticed Sid change a little. He became far more headstrong and cocky, determined to show his worth and one-up Ren…and look where it got us.

But at least one good thing came out of this war. Neathia and Gundalia were now on peaceful terms, helping each other rebuild since the fall of the Twelve Orders, good riddance I say. Nurzak and Queen Serena had since then become good friends and taken good care of their homes. I still got to see Ren and the others from time to time, but I spent most of my days here on Neathia with my new partner, Linus.

Linus was a great partner, but I know he could never replace Sid. I never intended him to replace Sid.

I looked down at the city from a balcony in the Royal Palace. Neathian's restoration was coming along rather nicely and from the looks of all the balloons and streamers and music playing, they…we were preparing for a celebration for the end of the war. I would be down there but I just needed some time to myself to think.

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><p>"<em>Sid! I thought you were…" cried a surprised Ren.<em>

"_Look who you're talking to, dude. The others are still around too, but they're a little…bottled up right now," replied Sid with a grin._

"_You mean they're-?"_

"_Yup, they're still alive." Sid finished Ren's sentence._

_Ren's expression quickly changed from shock to happiness. They were alive! His friends were alive! "That's great!" he rejoiced. _

_Sid looked up and saw a black orb hurtling towards them. "Look out!" Sid pushed Ren out of the way of the blast. Ren was safely out of the way but the impact had pushed Sid off the cliff side. He managed to grab a hold of some rocks while Ren, who recovered from the explosion, grabbed a hold of Sid and tried to pull him up._

"_Insolent fool! How dare you try to escape?" cried Dharak from above._

"_I've got you, Sid!" cried Ren, struggling to get a good grip on Sid's wrist and pull him up._

"_I always through you were a coward, Ren, but I guess you finally proved me wrong," said Sid, tossing me up to Ren. Ren caught me in his hand and looked at Sid confused. "Take care of him, will you?"_

"_Sid, what do you mean? What are you doing?" I cried frantically._

"_Don't worry about the rest of us, Ren. Just do what you have to do!" Sid pulled himself from Ren's grip and pushed off the cliff, falling into the dark chasm._

"_Siiiid!" He was gone…just like that. Ren was still hanging over the cliff, his hand open as if he was still trying to reach Sid…but it was far too late._

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><p>"Rubanoid? Can I count on you?" Ren asked me when he battled Fabia.<p>

"Sid entrusted me to you for a reason, Ren. It would be my honor," I told him.

I still remember it like it was yesterday…I thought I would be battling along side Ren after Sid's death, but then Ren passed me on to Linus. I didn't know Linus personally, but I did know who he was. He was that Castle Knight that Jesse defeated and then Sid took his Bakugan, Neo to use against Dan. And if I remember correctly, Neo gave Drago the Element…but he didn't survive.

Linus knew the pain of losing a partner…that we had in common.

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><p><strong>Linus' POV<strong>

About a week had gone by and Neathia was nearly restored to it's former glory. It brought great pride to me to see my home back to the way it was before this horrible war. We had lost many brave soldiers in this war. Princess Fabia lost her dear fiancé, Jin, while I had lost my partner Neo. If it weren't for this horrible war, he would still be here. But there's no use in remaining in the past, I had to live in the present and think for the future. There was no point in concerning myself with the what-ifs and if-onlys.

Neo and I knew the risks of being Castle Knights and we were both accepted those risks when Captain Elright knighted us before Queen Serena. I just never thought one of those risks would actually come true.

I still remember it. Captain Elright had sent us to Earth to give Princess Fabia the Element, which had resided within Neo. When we arrived in their Bakugan Interspace, we met Shun Kazami, a very skilled Brawler and acquaintance of the Princess'. I thought the battle against those two Gundalians would be easy, but I severely underestimated them…and it cost me Neo.

But Neo made a great sacrifice giving Drago the Element. It showed his compassion and bravery…and what he was willing to give to save his home.

I had seen much in this war. We made new friends and allies in the Brawlers and in the Gundalians. Most surprisingly was Ren and how he defected to join us. If it weren't for him, I would not have another partner, Rubanoid.

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><p><em>"Linus, it seems like we both have lost comrades in this horrible war. I think Rubanoid would be better suited with a Pyrus battler like you," Ren said to me.<em>

_ "I'm not trying to replace Sid," I said to Rubanoid._

_ "Just as I'm not trying to take the place of your old partner," said Rubanoid. "Either way, we both have partners to avenge. And I'm ready to do whatever it takes to accomplish that."_

_ "So am I," I replied. Rubanoid and I looked off as another explosion went off._

_ "Well, partner, are you ready to fight?"_

_ "Yes! Bakugan Brawl! Pyrus Rubanoid stand!"_

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><p><em>"Ren, now that I'm a Castle Knight, I would like to remain here on Neathia so I can continue to serve," said Rubanoid to Ren.<em>

_ I nodded in agreement. "I'll take good care of him, Ren."_

_ "Thank you, that's all I ask," Ren said, shaking my hand._

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><p>I was thankful for meeting Rubanoid, it brought me great joy to be able to battle again with a strong partner. Speaking of which, where was Rubanoid? He was usually with me all the time, but I noticed he was gone for a while now. I walked through the halls of the Royal Palace and finally found him on one of the balconies over looking the city.<p>

"Rubanoid, there you are. I've been looking all over for you."

"You have?" he asked, surprised.

"Of course!" I smiled. "You're my friend and partner, Rubanoid. I was worried about you."

"Oh…well, thank you Linus. That really means a lot to me. I was just thinking that's all."

"About Sid?" I asked.

"Yes…how did you know?"

"I guess I just know, Rubanoid. I was thinking about Neo as well…"

"A lot of things have changed…" said Rubanoid.

"Indeed…but we can't live in the past, we must look to the future!"

"You're right, Linus!"

"Come on, Rubanoid, let's head into the city. We're just about ready to start the celebration!" I said, waving for Rubanoid to come with me.

"All right, let's go!" Rubanoid flew over to me and landed on my shoulder as we made our way over to the celebration.

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><p><strong>Well I hope you guys liked that. I felt that the characters that lost someone important to the war needed some sort of...well...this, to see how they're fairing now. So I think all that's left is Lumagrowl. Yeah, I know right? I'm writing a oneshot for Lumagrowl reflecting on that bitch Kazarina. But hey, I think he deserves one. I think that's all the characters who lost someone, but if I missed one, please let me know.<strong>

**~ZP**


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